A Checklist for Winter Gutter Maintenance

Prepare well for the winter to avoid costly repairs during chilly weather and to keep all the systems in your home working at peak capacity.

Winter is already here. Have your prepared your gutters well? If you have not, it’s still not too late to get it done. However, just getting rid of the leaves from the gutters might not be enough. There are other items to attend to so that low temperatures do not cause any serious damage to your home and surroundings. Here is our checklist for winter gutter maintenance.

Unclog the Gutters

This is probably the most important maintenance task. Even if you cleaned the gutters earlier in the season, leaves could have fallen later than expected and will clog the gutters. Clogged gutters will restrict the water flow, causing the water to stagnate in the gutters, which will freeze as the temperature drops. This is the perfect recipe for gutter damage. If gutter cleaning is not your kind of job, you should get a St. Louis guttering company to do the task.

Downspouts Are Properly Aligned

The gutters collect water and guides it from the roof through the downspout. If the downspout is not working properly, the water will simply leak down the walls of your house and freeze. This ice can pose a danger to the residents who walk around the house, and if it expands it can put pressure on the adjoining structures.

Gutters Are Secure

The peak winter season brings snowfall in most regions in the U.S. Icicles and snow tend to put more weight on the gutters, so it is important for you to ensure that the gutters are tightly secured. If you find any panels or nails loose, get a guttering company to tighten them securely before the snowfall leaves it hanging off your roof.

Clear Out Stray Branches

If there are any tree branches hanging over your roof, they can fall and pose a danger to the gutters or other structures. Cut these branches down before they create any problems for you.

Water Flows Away From the Foundation

It is important to ensure that water flows freely from your gutter and falls away from the foundation. If water stagnates and freezes around your home, it may cause damage to the foundation by putting pressure on it.

If you have missed any of the aforementioned tasks, complete them now to prevent any problems in the future. In case you are unsure of what needs to be done, call Scott-Lee Guttering Company at (314) 756-9440 and complete your winter maintenance before it’s too late.